Overview

• Wenceslao Benoit, a 77-year-old Argentine guide, disappeared on July 31 after opting to continue on foot in the Cerro León woods of Parque Nacional Defensores del Chaco.
• His passenger, Belgian tourist Raphael Giong, stayed with their vehicle and alerted park rangers when Benoit failed to return.
• On August 5, search teams found Benoit’s Nissan Patrol near the park entrance but recovered no further clues.
• The Paraguayan National Police, Ministry of Environment and park rangers are using drones, ground patrols and technology in a major search operation.
• Difficult terrain, dense vegetation and limited connectivity continue to hamper efforts and highlight the challenges of cross-border tourism in remote national parks.